Daughter
by WalkingWit
Summary: She was just as bad as Shelby, abandoning a baby girl. Fifteen years later, Broadway star Rachel Berry gets a visist from her daughter, and she wants answers.
1. Chapter 1

**Just randomly thought of this after watching a Glee Marathon. I own nothing.

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**Daughter**

She sat in front of Rachel, a perfect blend of her parents. Her large, doe brown eyes stared at her questioningly, hurt. Rachel averted her gaze, the shame and guilt weighing her down. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't even look at her. She was just as bad as Shelby. Was abandonment genetic? She stole a glance once more, noting that she had perfectly dark curls, much like her father. She blanched at the thought of him. Did he know she was here? Rachel's simple day had turned to crap when the tiny girl popped up on her doorstep.

"I'm not buying any girl scout cookies," the Broadway diva huffed as she opened the door to see a bright-eyed girl.

"Are you Rachel Berry?" she asked, almost as if in awe.

"Are you a papparazi or something? Man, they're starting you kids out young," Rachel began to ramble.

"I'm Jude St. James," the girl blurted out.

Rachel stared at her, eyes wide, mouth open.

"I'm your daughter," she added, just in case Rachel had forgotten the name of her own daughter.

Rachel had the simultaneous urge to hug her baby and run away screaming. Instead, she opened the door further, inviting her daughter into her apartment. She led her into the living room, motioning for her to sit down on the couch. Rachel took a seat on the recliner, directly across from her.

"So, Jude," Rachel started, unsure. Twenty years ago, she was in the same situation, only she was the daughter and Shelby her long-lost mother. She bitterly thought she had been replaced by Beth.

"Why didn't you want me?" Jude blurted out, covering her mouth with her hand.

Rachel gazed at her forlornly. Where was she supposed to start? Her burgeoning career couldn't be destroyed by motherhood, she was only eighteen after all.

"Dad told me you weren't ready and all that, but you never even visited," Jude began to ramble, "Do you know how hard it is not to have a mother? I mean, Aunt Shelby's great and all-"

"Aunt Shelby?" Rachel nearly screeched.

Jude nodded timidly, afraid she had said something wrong. Rachel gave a deep sigh, resisting the urge to shout.

"What has Jesse told you?" she choked out.

Jude smiled wistfully, a far-off look in her eyes, "That you were in love, and very young. That he was the happiest man on the planet and was glad he left UCLA to do Spring Awakening. That his life was finally going somewhere."

The teen's tale stopped short as she glared at her mother, her mood change unexpected.

"I didn't even know that I had a mom until I was seven," she added, "Dad tried to call you, to get you to come to LA!"

"It's hard enough seeing him on TV every freaking week!" Rachel countered.

Jesse had moved back to Los Angeles with little Jude, auditioning wherever he could to provide for his daughter. Eventually he gained recognition for a bit part as Natalie Portman's ex in a film. After that, the offers had been rolling in for movies, leading him to work with the biggest names. A few years ago, he made the transition to television, first as a guest star, and now as the lead on a TV show about a high school choir. It didn't help that he was perpetual magazine fodder-first for praising his devotion to his daughter (along with speculation about who her mother is) and more recently for his relationships with a few leading ladies.

Jude crossed her arms over her chest, watching her mother rage an internal battle.

"I want to know why the hell I don't have a mom! I want to know why you hate me!" Jude shouted, eyes flashing.

Oh yes, she had a flair for drama. It must have been genetic. Rachel closed her eyes and counted to ten, just as her therapist had advised. Part of her wanted to tell her she didn't need a mom. She had Jess and _Aunt Shelby, _she thought spitefully. So Rachel wasn't good enough for her, but Jude was?

"It's a long, complicated story," Rachel tried to get her to leave.

"I have time. Dad's filming on location. He should be tied up for a while," Jude countered.

Rachel sighed. Kid was clever, she had to give her that.

"Then get comfortable," Rachel advised, leaning back in her seat.

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**Please review. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts.**


	2. Story Time

**Just randomly thought of this after watching a Glee Marathon. I own nothing.**

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**Story Time**

Rachel stared back at Jude, brown eyes meeting identical brown eyes. She thought about how she was once in the same situation, staring Shelby down in the Carmel auditorium. Jude tapped her fingers on the armrest of the couch, obviously waiting for Rachel's tale to begin. Rachel took a deep breath, not sure where to start. Should she begin with Jesse's jackassery before he fled to UCLA? No, that wouldn't do.

"Uh, I guess I should start after graduation. Mr. Shue had invited talent scouts to Nationals that year," she began.

* * *

Rachel Berry was on the fast track to becoming a star. Her she was in New York, ready to wow the world with her talent. Mr. Shuester had arranged for talent scouts and agents to be at Nationals, hoping for some of his more talented glee-clubbers would get an opportunity to head to the Big Apple. Inevitably, she had led New Directions to the title. Her rendition of "Don't Rain on My Parade" was flawless and despite already having sung it at Sectionals two years prior, the emotion and delivery was amazing, if she said so herself. A talent agent, Jennifer Douglas, talked to her right after the win, expressing her desire to get Rachel onto Broadway. After a few meetings with Rachel, Hiram, and Leroy, a contract was signed. Rachel Berry was en route to NYC.

Her fathers were, of course, wary about their precious daughter. They set her up in a nice end of town, withing walking distance of the Gershwin Theatre on West 51st Street. At the time, Wicked was playing. The Eugene O'Neil Theatre which would shortly become her second home, was located on West 49th St.

She settled into her one-bedroom apartment easily enough. She had painted the walls a soft, soothing green. She painted her bedroom a light, airy rose pink. She had outgrown the dark pink of her younger years, but she liked the color a great deal. She kept her bed and bedding from home, as it offered a great deal of comfort for her.

"If you need anything, just call," Hiram said as he and Leroy prepared to leave their baby girl alone in the crutches of a big, bad city.

"I know, daddy," Rachel replied sadly, twirling a curl around her finger nervously.

"We're just a phonecall away," Leroy offered.

"I know dad. Set up your Skype soon, yeah?" Rachel asked.

"Of course," Leroy confirmed.

With final hugs, Rachel was lone. She stared around her apartment, a slight smile gracing her features. She sat down on her couch, crossing her arms over her chest. She took out her phone, noting she missed a call from Kurt. She dialed his number.

"_Hello_?" his voice rang over the line.

"Kurt!" Rachel started.

"_Hey Barbra, you settled?_" he asked, glad to hear from his friend.

"New York is fabulous Kurt. You must visit me sometime," she enthused.

"_Blaine, Mercedes and I will definitely see anything you're in,_" he assured her.

"And how is Blaine," she asked teasingly.

"_Fabulous_," Kurt replied, grinning broadly.

Rachel chuckled. She was so glad she had friends. To think, had she and Finn never broken up, she wouldn't have become friends with Kurt and Mercedes. Hell, she might've stayed in Lima. For Finn. She shuddered to think that she would've given up Manhattan. She was bigger than Lima.

"_Rachel, I got to go. We'll talk soon_," Kurt interrupted her thoughts.

"Bye, Kurt."

Rachel shut off her phone, left to her own devices. She yawned, tired. She decided to go to sleep. After all, tomorrow would start a never-ending round of auditions.

* * *

"So, there's _Chicago_, they need a new understudt for Roxy, the other one got pregnant, _Fat Pig_, _The Merchant of Venice, Billy Elliot, La Cage Aux Folles, Wonderland, Mary Poppins_, and _Spring Awakening_," Jennifer passed Rachel some papers as they sat in her office.

Rachel sifted through the papers, scanning them. A lot of them were open-ended shows that were recasting as the current casts were in the process of moving on. One, though, she had never heard of before.

"Spring Awakening is a new show. It's gone through workshops in California. That's when they cast Melchoir. The Wendla, they found though, couldn't take the stress, so they're re-casting a few parts," Jennifer began to explain.

Rachel nodded, taking in the information. Her hopes of there being Les Miserables had been dashed, but she was bound to find a role, any role.

* * *

"Stay awake, don't go to sleep," Rachel let her voice flow through the audition room. The producer and director sat in front of her, looking bored. Rachel would be impressed with their show faces had she not been shaking in her boots.

"We'll get back to you."

"We'll get back to you." She heard that too many times over a two month period. She would go to her apartment dead tired and weary. She knew stardom didn't come quickly, but so far her road was too rocky for her liking. She knew it sometimes took actors years to get noticed, but she was Rachel Berry, dammit.

"Dad, daddy," Rachel stared at her computer screen, greeting her parents.

"Pumpkin, what's wrong?" Hiram asked, seeing his daughter's blank face.

"I don't know if I can do this. I was the most talented person at McKinley, but here, there are so many brilliant actors and singers," Rachel started.

"Stop right there Rachel," Leroy said sternly, "you are brilliant. Never forget that."

Rachel offered a small smile.

Two weeks later, she received a callback for the part of Wendla. Needless to say, she was thrilled. The producer and director had shown a liking to her, and cast her a few days after that.

"I got it, I got it!" she jumped up and down. She was simultaneously on the phone with her fathers and on Skype with Kurt.

"Congrats!" Kurt grinned.

"Sweetheart, that's wonderful," Hiram and Leroy chorused.

Rachel's road wasn't as rocky anymore. If only she had known who would play opposite her.

* * *

Jude stared at her mother, chin resting in her palm. While Rachel had been rambling, she had been analyzing her. She noticed that her way of speaking was similar. She noticed they both scrunched up their noses when something bothered them. Other than that, she knew very little about her own mother. Now she knew that she had two gay grandfathers. Jesse had told her in passing when she asked about her grandparents, but she never paid much attention.

"Do you want tea, or water, or food?" Rachel stopped suddenly, standing up.

"I hate tea. If there's coffee," Jude replied.

"Jesse hates tea, too," Rachel tried to plaster on a soft smile, but she suddenly felt awful.

"I know. I've been drinking coffee regularly since middle school," Jude rolled her eyes.

Oh yes. Rachel and Jesse's child would have an attitude.

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**Please review. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts.**


	3. Rehearse

**Just randomly thought of this after watching a Glee Marathon. I own nothing. Thank you for the reviews and thank you to those who favorited or added the story to their alerts.**

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**Rehearse**

Jude sipped her coffee leisurely, glancing at Rachel from time to time. Rachel couldn't help but fidget under the scrutinizing glare.

"So, you got the part as Wendla. I knew that much," Jude pointed out, waiting for the story to continue.

"A few days later, rehearsals started," Rachel picked off from where she left off.

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Rachel was positively bouncing on her way to the theatre. Seriously, she had a pep in her step and probably looked insane to passer-by. She nearly barged through the doors of the theatre, jovially greeting the producer. She had become accquianted with a few other costars, but she had yet to meet the boy who would play Melchoir. A few girls had mentioned that he was ridiculously handsome, but despite their attempts to charm, he had been closed-off. He was polite, yes, but very reclusive. Rumor had it that he got his heart broken in California, which is why he jumped at the chance to leave. Rachel was intrigued, to say the least.

So, on that day she was eager to meet the rest of the cast and get cracking on rehearsals.

What she saw next made her do a double-take. She would know that mop of curls anywhere. He sat on a folding chair, eyes trained on the script. Her pulse quickened and her heart beat erratically. No, no, no. Jesse St. James could not be Melchoir. It was ridiculous. Impossible. Inconceivable. She was running out of synonyms. She turned around, hoping to hide. She knew it was silly since they would have to speak eventually, but she wanted to disappear.

"Rachel," his voice croaked, looking up.

"Jesse," she replied curtly.

He stood, crossing the distance between them. Rachel felt her heart crack a little upon seeing how tired he looked. There were dark bags under his usually sparkling eyes. On that day, they stared dully at her. There was a smattering of stubble around his jaw, making him look older than she had last seen him.

"How've you been?" he asked politely, trying not to get her mad.

"I haven't had any nightmares about baby chicks lately," she spat, reveling in his quick cringe. As soon as the discomfort flashed upon his face, it was gone. Damn, his show face was too good.

"I'm so sorry," he said, eyes actually showing remorse and regret, "If I could go back and stop the egging, I would."

Rachel huffed, "Well you can't! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at UCLA?"

"I auditioned. I got the part. What are you doing here? I would've thought you'd be at Julliard."

"I had a change of plans. Why waste four years when I could be making a name for myself?" she asked.

A ghost of a smile flitted across his features before his emotionless facade returned.

"Great minds think alike," he tried to joke.

"I am nothing like you," she tried to defend herself.

"Aren't you the one who sent an innocent girl to a _crack house_?" Jesse couldn't help himself.

Rachel gaped back at him.

"Word gets around. I still keep in touch with Vocal Adrenaline," he smirked.

"An _inactive_ crack house!" she screeched.

"Look, I don't want to fight. I just wanted to apologize. I know I was an ass, and I'm sorry. I'm not expecting forgiveness. Let's not let it interfere the production, okay. After this, we'll never have to hear from each other again," Jesse offered, sticking his hand out.

Rachel took it tentatively, "Deal."

She felt a shock of electricity as her fingers brushed his hand. They both jerked away quickly, staring at each other. Rachel tried to shake it off, stepping back. Jesse ran a hand through his hair nervously, turning to see their castmates glancing at them from behind their scripts.

"Alright, people! Let's get going," the director shouted, clapping his hands together.

He had the cast line up, and Rachel and Jesse somehow ended up next to each other. The girl who played Martha, Lily, and the boy who played Moritz, John, stood on either side of them.

"Start with the songs," the producer popped up.

Before she knew it, Rachel belted out "Mama Who Bore Me", receiving appraising nods from her costars.

She finished, a satisified grin on her face. The director looked pleased upon casting decisions. Soon, other songs were run through. Jesse ran through "All That's Known" flawlessly. Rachel had to begrudgingly give him credit-his voice was good.

Hours passed quickly, giving the tired actors a chance for a lunch break. Lily gave Rachel a smile, inviting her to eat with her. Rachel smiled appreciatively as they walked out of the theatre, headed to a nearby restaurant.

"So, what's the deal with you and St. James?" she asked as they brushed past hurrying businessmen.

"Huh?" Rachel looked up at the taller girl, "We knew each other back in Ohio."

"Ohio?" she laughed, "I thought he was from LA."

"He moved for college," Rachel said quietly, wishing that June would just let it rest.

She nodded, pointing to a small cafe, "They have the best sandwiches."

"I'm a vegan," Rachel said as they walked in.

"Not a problem. The salads are to die for and they have veggie sandwiches," Lily said. She greeted the maitre d'. She had obviously been there long enough.

"How long have you been in productions?" Rachel asked, taking a seat at a small table.

"A few years. I was a dancer first," she said.

"That's interesting," Rachel said. She was determined to be polite and make friends. She was with her own kind in Manhattan-the artists and the dreamers.

* * *

After an exhausting day of rehearsal, Rachel slammed the door of her apartment dramatically. She plopped down on her plush couch, taking time to process everything that had transpired. Lily and the rest of the cast were welcoming. Her thoughts quickly drifted to Jesse. She fumed silently. Of all the shows he could have been in, he was in hers. She felt conflicted-on the one hand, he broke her heart. On the other, he seemed genuinely apologetic. She had never heard his voice so raw and emotional before except for when he said he loved her. She wished she had someone to talk to. She couldn't tell her fathers, they'd try to talk her into leaving. Kurt and Mercedes would flip and tell her to destroy him. She couldn't bring herself to hurt him even though he hurt her.

She wasn't lying when she had told him that if he broke her heart, she'd carry it with her forever. Her heart still ached at the memory. It wasn't like that with Finn, she realized. She was so easy at forgiving Finn, putting him on a pedastal. Her idealization of him came crashing down when she found out about Santana. Santana, of people. She didn't think she would have minded as much as if it were with Quinn. least being single got her mind back on what was important: becoming a star. She was the talent of New Directions, and sooner or later, she would be the toast of Broadway.

So she spent the last year and a half alone, afraid of letting anyone in. Every time she saw a mop of dark curls, her pulse would quicken even though the likelyhood of Jesse being at McKinley were slim. Every time Lionel Richie would play on the radio, she would break down and cry. She couldn't even listen to Bohemian Rhapsody anymore without crying her eyes out. The image of Jesse singing at Regionals was forever seared into her brain. "So you think you can love me and leave me to die/ Oh baby, you can't do this to me baby/ I just gotta get out, I just gotta get right out of here". She took that as his bitter, jaded, and terrible goodbye.

* * *

A month later, the cast was off-book. Having certain scenes with Jesse was terribly awkward the first few weeks of rehearsals. She couldn't bring herself to kiss him. By now, she didn't have to. Their director said it wasn't necessary until closer to the opening date. Not all was horrible, though. Try as she might, Rachel couldn't help but laughing whenever she got called a wood-nymph. She bit her lip as Jess looked earnestly at her. She brought her hand to her mouth, stifling her laugh. Jesse let out a grin before he started laughing, breaking out of character. He clutched his sides, Rachel's laughter only making his worse. The director sighed, throwing up the script in his hands. He tried to act exasperated, but looked amused. He was glad that the tension of the earlier rehearsals seemed to dissipate. Whatever was between the two actors stayed between them.

Rachel's laughter died down, and she looked at Jesse. It almost felt like they were back in time, in her living room watching movies and making jokes. Sometimes even her dads would join in the movie marathons they held. A forlorn expression flashed on her face briefly. Jesse stopped chuckling, looking equally uneasy.

"Okay, take ten!" the director shouted.

Rachel darted off the stage, running out the door to a crisp fall breeze. She shivered, having forgotten her jacket.

"Rach," his voice startled her.

She turned on her heel to face him, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. She crossed her arms across her chest, closing herself off. He touched her shoulder gently, fingers brushing over her blouse.

"What?" she asked.

He took a deep breath, searching for the right words.

"Hi, I'm Jesse. I'm playing Melchoir," he stuck his hand out.

"I know who you are," Rachel looked at him as if he had grown a third eye.

"You knew the self-obsessed, Vocal Adrenaline Jesse. I'm the truly sorry Jesse," he offered a half smile instead of his usual smirk, "I don't want the show to suffer because of the worst mistake of my life."

Rachel gaped at him, taking his hand slowly.

"We need to talk, really talk," Rachel said quietly.

Jesse nodded. All of their conversations had revolved solely around the show. They needed to air out their issues. She wouldn't let him elaborate on his side of the story, but now she would give him a chance. A glimmer of hope.

* * *

Jesse and Rachel sat across from each other at a small, cozy restaurant near 49th St. The lighting was dim and the table they sat at was away from the din of the main part of the restaurant. Rachel picked at her salad as Jesse spoke.

"Meeting you in the music store wasn't planned. I saw you and I had to talk to you. I lied when I said you didn't have the right emotions during 'Don't Rain on my Parade'," he rambled, "I wanted to impress you. Shelby didn't tell me that you're her daughter until after Mr. Schuester paid her a visit," he sighed.

"Wait, what?" Rachel raised a brow.

"Shuester went to Shelby, concerned that I was trying to weasel information from you, to spy. She assured him that I was a good kid. After she saw us together in the auditorium she pulled me aside and told me to transfer, to get to know you, and be your friend. If I had known what she would do, I wouldn't have agreed, Rach. I thought I was helping a lady find her daughter," he gazed at her.

"You were a pawn," Rachel offered a wry grin.

Jesse nodded, taking a sip of his soda, "I tried to treat it as an acting exercise, but I couldn't. I liked you too much. You were too brilliant, too talented."

Rachel blushed, looking down.

"After the whole triple casting debacle, I had to get away. And once your relationship with Shelby _dissolved_ she made me re-join Vocal Adrenaline. I told her I didn't want to, but she threatened to have me held back."

Rachel gaped. Leave it to Shelby to pull something like that. She understood why he left. His career and future meant more to him than anything.

"I got back to Carmel to see that Andrea had pulled a coup while I was gone. I had to proove myself as leader again. I swear I didn't know about the egging. They just told me I had to dump you in the parking lot," Jesse looked at her, a pained expression on his face as he remembered what he had put her through.

Rachel nodded.

"I know you probably won't forgive me, but I wanted to tell you the whole truth."

"Thank you," Rachel said, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"I didn't mean what I said when I said we'd never have to hear from each other again," he admitted.

She glanced at him, blushing.

"I want to be friends," Jesse sighed.

"I don't know if we can. There's too much between us," she said sadly.

"We can try, can't we?" he asked.

She nodded slightly, accepting the peace offering. It would do for now.

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**Please review.**


	4. I'll be Home

**Just randomly thought of this after watching a Glee Marathon. I own nothing. Thank you for the reviews and thank you to those who favorited or added the story to their alerts. Slight spoilers for 'Blame it on the Alcohol'. You have been warned.**

**I'll Be Home**

After hectic months of rehearsals, it was time. _Spring Awakening_ was going to be opening in less two days. A buzz of adrenaline was apparent in all of the actors. Rachel was more fidgety than usual, the excitement of being in a Broadway play finally hitting her. Jesse watched her as she paced the stage, wringing her hands. Rehearsals were long over, and everyone had left except the two leads.

"I'm nervous. What if the critics pan us?" she blurted out her worries after an exhausting day of dress rehearsal.

"What do they have to pan?" Jesse asked, crossing his arms.

"I don't know! The content. My acting," Rachel started, "Of course they'll love my singing," she babbled.

Jesse chuckled. He too was nervous, but not as eager to show how he felt.

She titlted her head in his direction, thinking. How would her dads react to seeing Jesse as the lead? Would Kurt, Mercedes, and Blaine make the flight out to see her? She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously. There was too much to worry about.

"Rachel, you're shaking," Jesse said, noticing his costar's shakes.

She merely looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she darted off the stage, running towards the restrooms.

Jesse followed her, bursting into the girls' bathroom. He heard a gag and a toilet flush.

"Rach, you okay?" he asked, tapping his knuckles on the stall door.

"Ugh," was her reply.

She swung the door open and moved to the sinks. She washed her face and rinsed her mouth.

Jesse eyed her warily, "We're going out tonight. I'll pick you up at seven."

"What?" Rachel asked. Going out with Jesse St. James caused problems, not solved them.

"Not a date," he clarified, "you just need to get your mind off of the show."

* * *

Rachel shouldn't have been surprised when they ended up at a karaoke bar in Manhattan, a few blocks away from her apartment. Jesse had insisted they walk, to let out some energy. Rachel was freezing in the winter cold, but she had to admit she was calmer as they walked through the door, into neon lights and loud music.

"How'd you find this place?" Rachel yelled over the music as their waiter placed her coke and his beer on the table.

"John brought me here and got me thoroughly drunk. The next thing I know, I'm crashing on his couch," Jesse answered.

Rachel chuckled. She hated alcohol. Being thrown up on during a performance was something she never wanted to experience again. Ever. She shuddered at the thought. She shrugged off her coat, hanging it on the back of her chair. Her green blouse had ruffled down the middle and her black and green poka dot tights matched her green blouse/black skirt combo. She looked up at the twinkling lights adorning the walls, obviously decorated for the holidays. A Christmas tree sat in the corner, star shining brightly. To her delight, a menorah and the star of David lit up opposite walls. She sobered suddenly, realizing it was her first Hanukkah away from her dads.

Jesse noticed her look and put his hand on her shoulder lightly, "Let's sing."

She brightened slightly, nodding. They stood, he taking her hand and pulling her along gently. He whispered something to the MC, who nodded. The climbed onto the stage and took the microphones.

"What are we singing?" Rachel asked, watching the screen.

"You'll see," he assured her.

The music started playing and Rachel grinned. How did he know her so well?

_I'll be home for Christmas  
You can plan on me  
Please have snow and miseltoe  
__And presents on the tree_

Jesse began to sing, smiling to match Rachel's growing grin. She took a breath, not needing to read the screen.

_Christmas Eve will find me  
Where the lovelight gleams  
I'll be home for Christmas  
If only in my dreams _

_She sang, pitch perfect, as usual. She looked out to the audience, heart swelling with pride upon seeing that they were totally engrossed in the performance._

_I'll be home for Christmas  
If only in my dreams_

Rachel and Jesse harmonized for the last two lines, dragging out the ending. She placed the microphone back on the stand, giving him a hug and muttered thank you.

The audience applauded, some aw-ing at the pair. They moved back to their table to finish their untouched drinks.

"I needed that," Rachel smiled softly.

"They were eating out of the palm of your hands, Rachel. You don't need to worry about any of your performances. You're a star," Jesse said seriously, wanting her to realize that she was perfect. Rachel nodded minutely, thinking of how right it sounded to sing with Jesse. With Finn, she always sounded far better, making him sound worse. Her and Jesse were matched equals, both ambitious, career-driven perfectionists with amazing voices. She thought of how just two Christmases ago she was trying to get Finn to forgive her. She shuddered. Had she stayed with him, she wouldn't have had the courage to move to New York. She wouldn't have forged an amazing friendship with Kurt and Mercedes, and later Blaine. Yes, being single did wonders for her, but she couldn't help but feel lonely now and then. She looked to Jesse who was watching the next singer.

"Tone is totally off," he critiqued a girl's performance of 'All I Want for Christmas is You'.

"I think we started a holiday songs streak," Rachel said.

"Christmas is only a little over two weeks away," Jesse shrugged.

"Are you going back to Lima?" Rachel asked politely. She knew the show was scheduled for that week, but they had Christmas Eve and day off.

"Hell no. Even if the show didn't fall smack dab in the season, Lima's in the past. My parents are in Barbados or the Bahamas, or _somewhere," _Rachel couldn't help but detect a hint of bitterness in his voice. She was well aware that the St. James' were not a very loving family.

"Don't look at me with those sad eyes, Rach," Jesse took a sip of his beer.

"I'm not," she defended herself.

Jesse sighed, holding up his bottle, "Here's to Spring Awakening."

Rachel clicked her glass of cola against the bottle, "Here's to a friendship."

She noticed the flash of surprise and delight that flashed in Jesse's eyes before the cocky facade returned. She took a quick sip of her drink, turning her attention to the performance.

* * *

This was it. On December 10th, she, Rachel Barbra Berry, was about to star in a Broadway production. She wrung her hands as she watched last minute preparations be placed on the stage. Jesse caught her eye from across the stage and offered a smile and a wink. The butterflies in her stomach intensified. She thought back to greeting her dads at JFK. She had babbled incessentally about the show, letting it slip that Jesse was to play her love interest.

Leroy and Hiram tried to mask their shock, but Leroy's anger exploded. Rachel spent the majority of their day together reassuring her beloved fathers that Jesse meant well. He apologized numerous times and she shared their karaoke session. Hiram managed to calm his husband's concerns and Rachel assured them that the lines of friendship had not been crossed.

"He's grown up a lot," she said honestly.

That morning, her fathers had gone to pick up Kurt and Blaine from the airport, and ended up relaying all of the information Rachel had given them. Mercedes couldn't make it as she had exams until her winter break began.

"If he messes up again, we've got your back," Kurt assured her. Blaine cracked his knuckles threateningly for added emphasis.

She was so appreciative of how her life was going. Her career was off to a fabulous start, she had wonderful friends, and loving parents.

She took to the stage, throwing herself into being Wendla. Before she knew it, she was belting out 'Mama Who Bore Me'.

A few scenes later, she found herself alone on stage with Jesse. The last time they had a scene together, he had 'hit' her with a switch. She could almost feel the pain Jesse felt, even when pretending to hit her. She could feel the anger radiating from her parents, who were sitting in the front row.

Jesse ran his thumb across her cheek tenderly, reciting Melchoir's words, but the emotions were his own. The opening strains of 'I Believe' were heard. They kissed, her ending up lying on the ground. She deepened the kiss, forgetting that she was Wendla, not herself. Jesse's hand crept up the skirt of her short dress, making her emit a small moan. The curtain began to close, signaling the close of the first act. Jess and Rachel kept kissing even after the audience could no longer see them. Someone behind them cleared his throat and the pair looked up sheepishly. An embarrassed Rachel jumped up, fixing her hair.

"I'm a very method actor. I like to stay in character," she stuttered, darting away from the gathered group of actors.

Jesse ran his hand through his hair, shrugging. John clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, shaking his head in amusement.

Ten minutes later, Rachel and Jesse were back on stage, readying for the second act.

"You shouldn't have fixed your hair," Jesse said, noting her sleek locks.

"Why not?"

"That's not sex hair," he smirked wickedly.

He ran his hands through her hair, mussing it up. Rachel in turn unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt, leaving him nearly bare-chested. Rachel lowered one of her knee-high socks to her ankles and hiked up her skirt as high as decency would allow. The buttons of her dress were already unbuttoned, leaving her collar exposed.

"Now we look like we've had a thoroughly good f-"

"Jesse!" Rachel hissed, blushing profusely.

He laughed at her uneasiness, "Would it help if we sang 'Like a Virgin'?"

"No," she replied crossly.

They sat down on the stage, ready for the opening of the second act.

The rest of the play went by in a daze, with Jesse left holding a razor in front of Wendla and Moritz's graves.

"Not gone, not gone," came Rachel's voice, urging Melchoir during 'Those You've Known'.

"The Song of Purple Summer" finishes the opening performance, the curtain closing down on them. The audience burst into applause as they completed their curtain call.

* * *

"You were wonderful, sweetheart," Hiram and Leroy hugged their daughter, followed by Blaine and Kurt.

"Really?" she asked.

"So believable," Kurt nodded.

"Your voice was impeccable as always," Blaine agreed.

"Thank you so much," she beamed, watching as the rest of the cast chatted with one another. Most had already made their debuts. Their families didn't come to see them. She noticed Jesse talking quietly to Lily and offered a sad smile. Of course his parents wouldn't show up to support him.

"Hey," Lily said, walking over. She had changed out of her costume into a party dress, "there's a cast party at the karaoke place. Your friends and dads are more than welcome," she said.

"Please, let's. I want to see an encore to your Human League performance," Kurt told Blaine and Rachel.

"You kids go, we're heading back to the hotel," Hiram said.

"Daddies, I said you could stay with me," Rachel pouted.

"It's fine. It would be too crowded since Kurt and Blaine are staying with you. Plus, we want some alone time," Leroy said.

"Then it's settled. Let's go," Lily smiled.

* * *

**Please review.**


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